Ante-Communion, Rite II --- The Feast of the Ascension
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The Feast of the Ascension
according to the Book of Common Prayer (p. 355)
21 May 2020
Click here to see just the lessons for this liturgy.
Preparing for the Liturgy
Choose an Officiant and a reader. Light a candle.
We Gather in God’s Name
Greeting
Officiant:
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
People:
The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!
The Collect for Purity
Officiant:
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria in excelsis
Officiant and People:
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect
Officiant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson — Acts 1:1-11
Lector:
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 47 — Omnes gentes, plaudite — (BCP 650)
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *
shout to God with a cry of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *
he is the great King over all the earth.3 He subdues the peoples under us, *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.5 God has gone up with a shout, *
the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *
sing praises to our King, sing praises.7 For God is King of all the earth; *
sing praises with all your skill.
8 God reigns over the nations; *
God sits upon his holy throne.9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
and he is highly exalted.
The Second Lesson — Ephesians 1:15-23
Lector:
A reading from the letter to the Ephesians:
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel — Luke 24:44-53
Deacon:
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
People:
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
Jesus said to his disciples, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you– that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here.
We Respond in Faith
The Nicene Creed
Officiant and People:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Deacon:
Let us offer prayers to God through Jesus Christ, who was taken up to heaven and intercedes for us at the right hand of God, saying, Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For peace from on high and for our salvation, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, for the Anglican Church of Korea; and in the Diocese of New Jersey, for the Ministry of Bishops, Church Sextons, Transition Officers, members and ministry of the Bishop’s Advisory Commission on Liturgy and Music, Alternates to General Convention, and the Ascension Church in Gloucester City, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the leaders of our church, including Justin, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; William, our Diocesan Bishop; John, our Deacon; Todd, our Rector; and all other ministers, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For all nations and their leaders, including Donald, our President; members of the U.S. Congress; Phil, our Governor; and John, our Mayor; that they may have wisdom and courage to know and to do God’s will, ever mindful of their calling to serve God’s people, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the Borough of Glassboro and its residents including students, faculty and staff of Rowan University and Glassboro Public Schools; that they may be safe and protected from any adversity, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For all those affected by Covid-19, all those helping to relieve the suffering brought on by the global pandemic, and for all those working to develop a vaccine for this dreadful disease, that God’s life-giving power will be seen by all at this time, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
.
Leader:
For all in desperate need: the poor, the hungry, homeless, and oppressed, the unemployed; victims of violence and abuse, orphans, refugees, prisoners, and their families, that they may have endurance and hope and find comfort, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For those on our parish prayer list, including Dennis, Marge, Dot, Tina, Don, Brad, Joann, Chester, Ruth, Chuck, Sarah, Jim, Medical Personnel threatened, sickened, and dying from their service to patients with Covid-19, Carol, Bob, Armand, Roy, Joe, Dee, Mike, KOH volunteers and those they serve, Bryan, Bill, Tracy, Sandy, Catherine, Michelle, Kris, Owen Family, Tom, Gwendolyn, Simkins Family, the Family of Dorothy Johnson, and Tracy, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the recently deceased of our parish community, including Donald, Glenn, Joan, Mary, Patricia, Bernice, Dorothy, and Kris, that they may rest in the peace of the divine community, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
Remembering our most glorious and blessed Virgin Mary, blessed Thomas, and all the saints, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ.
People:
To you, O Lord.
Presider:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who exalted Christ into glory and granted all who have been baptized to share in his royal priesthood. Hear our prayers for all your creation and welcome us to the table of your eternal banquet; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People:
Amen
Officiant:
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Officiant and People:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Officiant:
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.
People:
Amen.